Attacking midfielder includes those players recognized as true No. 10s, such as Real Salt Lake’s Javier Morales and Portland’s Diego Valeri, but can also list other types.

Mauro Rosales
played mostly on the right for Seattle, but his propensity to cut inside rather than stick to the flank gives him the look of an attacking midfielder. Graham
Zusi is included in this category as well for he is a catalyst no matter if he plays wide in midfield, in the center, or as a winger up top.

The
physical nature of MLS often requires attacking mids to, as the term implies, attack rather than sit deeper and serve balls a la Carlos Valderrama, the
quintessential No. 10 of past eras. In their best years, David Ferreira and Dwayne De Rosario were prototypical MLS
attacking midfielders who looked to shoot as well as pass.

Rankings are based on performances in MLS regular-season and playoff games.

Long regarded as one of the league’s top playmakers, Morales dished out 10 assists -- only three players had
more -- and he also scored eight goals in different ways: by converting penalties, by heading home crosses, by starting and finishing sequences, and against Portland, by nailing an overhead kick. He
was the only player to notch three postseason assists and in the MLS Cup shootout converted RSL’s do-or-die, fifth kick to force extra rounds.

An adductor injury hobbled Valeri
during the playoffs and that was enough of an edge for RSL to oust Portland in the conference finals; otherwise, Valeri was nearly impossible to contain. He won Newcomer of the Year honors while
leading the league with 13 assists and also scored 10 goals -- only one of them a penalty kick -- as the transformed Timbers won the regular-season conference title.

Tim Cahill attacks the goal like the forward he has been at times in his career -- he led New York with 11 goals -- and his aggression, instincts, and power in the
air are tailor-made for MLS. Federico Higuain’s elegant, effective play superseded a poor season for the Crew. Playing in the hole behind either one or
two strikers, he scored 11 goals -- second on the team -- and led the team in assists with nine (nobody else had more than four). National team duties drained Graham
Zusi of some energy during the regular season, during which he scored six goals and registered eight assists while playing in midfield and out on the wing. He upped his game a notch in the
playoffs as SKC captured its second MLS Cup. Felipe put up nearly identical stats (five goals, eight assists) in a very different season; Montreal faded badly
after a great start and succumbed meekly to Houston in the wild-card game.

Dillon Powers popped up in various spots as injuries riddled the
Colorado lineup, and his numbers (five goals, six assists) and dynamic displays regardless of position earned him MLS Rookie of the Year honors. A start-and-stop season for Mauro Rosales prompted a postseason trade to Chivas USA and though his aching legs will be happier on grass, can he better his totals of four goals and eight assists? If, as suspected,
he’s lost a step, is a dysfunctional cellar-dweller the place to find it? MVP in 2010, David Ferreira tallied three goals and seven assists in a
frustratingly futile effort to reclaim his best form and left the team at the end of the season. Joel Lindpere floated among positions as the lineup changed and he led the Fire
with eight assists.